Class Rep Manual by WIT Students' Union

Wa t e r f or dI ns t i t ut eofTe c hnol ogy St ude nt s â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Uni on

Na me : Cl a s sRe pr e s e nt a t i ve2010/ 1 1

CLASS REP Provisional Important DATES Training Brandon House

October 5th

1st Class Rep Council

October 12th

Hustings for Executive / Cork rd.

Class Rep Council College st.

October 19th

Open Forum for College st. Reps

2nd Class Rep Council

November 1st

Cork rd. Auditorium

3rd Class Rep Council

November 24th

Cork rd. Auditorium

Class Rep Retraining

Wednesday 26th

4th Class Rep Council

February 9th

Cork rd. Auditorium

5th Class Rep Council

March 2nd

Cork rd. Auditorium

March 30th

Cork rd. Auditorium

WITSU AGM

(These are the provisional dates that Class Reps must attend throughout the year)

NB: Any Class Rep who attends all Council Meetings will be granted a certificate for being an Active Class Rep. The Certificate will be presented at the AGM by Prof. Kieran Byrne Waterford Institute of Technology President and Conor Doyle, WIT Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union President.

A Very Special Welcome to All Class Reps Firstly the Students’ Union would like to congratulate you all on getting elected to the position of Class Representative. You have been given the great honour of being the Representative for your class for the coming academic year. We’re delighted to have you all on board. WIT Students’ Union would not be able to function as well as it does if it wasn’t for the continuous input of Class Reps. Class Reps are the link between the Students’ Union and the wider student body. This year we hope that the Class Rep system will continue to grow and strengthen so that we will be able to fulfil our collective goal – to represent and defend the rights of all our members. The purpose of this handbook is to hopefully provide you with the basic information you will need for your time as an active Class Rep. While it is a fairly comprehensive source of information it couldn’t possibly handle absolutely all queries or questions that may be put to you during your year. Hopefully with this what information is in here, and the training we provide and the ongoing support of the staff and sabbatical officers, you will learn the skills necessary to find any answers, and how where to refer students’ if/when the need arises. Always remember your role is a positive one, you are there to support and stand up for your fellow students, both those on your course and the wider student body. Thank you taking the time to attend the Training Day and we look forward to working with you over the year. WIT Students Union wishes you the best of luck in your time at WIT and in your role as Class Representative. Enjoy the day, Conor, James and Denise

General Rules of Conduct

As with all training events, seminars, conferences, and any form of meeting there are certain generally understood rules of contact. Please note and acknowledge these basic requests.  All mobile phones must be turned OFF during the session  No drinking or eating during the session  Please respect the right of a speaker to be heard  Please respect the staff of the hotel Thank you and enjoy the day!

Table of Contents •

Welcome Note

•

Timetable

•

General Rules of Conduct

•

Introduction to WIT Students’ Union

•

Role & Function of a Class Representative

•

Dealing with Personal Stuff

•

Dealing with Class Problems

•

Public Speaking & Negotiation

•

WIT Students’ Union Structure

•

Useful Contact Details

• Notes

Introduction To The Students’ Union The WIT Students’ Union is the representative body of students within the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). Its main aims are to represent students, defend their interests and work on their behalf both within WIT and nationally. You are now part of the Class Rep system, which, according to the Students’ Union Constitution is the very backbone of the organisation. You now have the opportunity to help develop and strengthen the Union. If a hierarchy exists you now sit at the top of it, which now makes you the boss!

Am I member?

The membership of the Student’s Union is defined as all registered students of WIT. This means that you are a member of the Students’ Union and so are your classmates. You can have your say as a member and one of the best ways to do this is through being a Class Rep. This is also why this handbook refers to your Students’ Union; because that’s what it is – yours!

Class Rep Meetings (CRM) Every Class Rep is entitled to attend the CRM. These will be held regularly throughout the year. Keep an eye out for notice of these meetings around campus. Attendance at these meetings is strongly recommended as it gives you the opportunity to bring the issues facing your class to the attention of the officers of the Union. Remember that the officers cannot act on a problem they do not know about.

Convenors At the first Class Rep Council a representative is chosen from each School/Faculty to take the place of that particular School’s Convenor. WIT is divided into six separate Schools:  Business  Education  Engineering  Science  Health Science  Humanities The student body elects three full-time officers annually; a President and two Vice Presidents (Education and Welfare), one representing education issues, and other representing welfare issues

Sabbatical Officers President The Role of the WIT Students’ Union President is to represent the students and their interests on various boards and committees. The President also liaises with other Students’ Unions and with WIT’S affiliate colleges. The responsibility for internal staffing and administrative matters is also part of the brief. President: Conor Doyle Education Put simply, the Education officer is responsible for the Students’ Union’s academic policy. This means providing academic guidance and advice to individual students and sitting on College committees that affect these policies. The Education Officer also oversees the effective management of the Class Rep system. Education Officer: James Lambe Welfare The Welfare Officer is responsible for looking after personal and mental well-being of the students by providing confidential advice and guidance. The Welfare Officer also deals with all financial assistance queries and organises some of the key campaign weeks such as SHAG (Sexual Health And Guidance) Week and Mental Health Week. Welfare officer: Denise McCarthy

Part–time officers There are currently two part-time un-paid positions in WIT Students’ Union. These are the role of Communications officer and Entertainments officer. For further information on these positions please call into the Students’ Union office.

Communications officer: Eamonn Kelly

Entertainments officer: Peter Feeney

Role and Function of a Class Representative What is a Class Representative? With the ever-increasing number of students attending the institute it is important now more than ever that there is active representation for the student body. It is also hard for the Sabbatical Officers to make contact with the entire student body, so this is why Class Reps are a vital component to the union. Class Reps are elected by their classmates to represent their fellow students' views to the college. They play an integral role in representing students, helping students overcome problems and maintaining the quality of courses. Class Reps act as a point of contact between the class, Lecturers and the Students’ Union. Class Reps sit on course committees at school or department level in which they act as the voice of the students, ensuring that the college takes into account the requirements of students in any decisions that are made. Basically Class Reps liaise with both the Students’ Union and the Institute staffs to ensure all problems are solved and that a high level of course quality is continuously maintained.

Get Involved!

How to express the views of your class For you to be able to express the views of your class you first of all need to know their opinions. You should never assume or guess what their views will be. Consultation can be a simple process and here are some ways of findings out the opinions of your class: Ask them individually, one to one Ask them as a class  Hand out a questionnaire  Chat to them in groups in the canteen etc  Make yourself available for people to come and talk to you at certain times.  

Top 6 Duties of a Class Representative As with every job there are duties attached, the following is a list of duties which Class reps are obliged to carry out: 1) Dealing with Class Problems As Class Rep you will be the obvious channel of communication between your class and academic staff. If a class is experiencing problems relating to their course it is the Class Reps responsibility to bring the class concerns attention to the course leader. If any Class Rep is ever unsure about what action to make or who to talk to get in contact with the Students’ Union, as it’s our job to HELP YOU!! 2) Dealing with Personal Problems Occasionally Class Reps may find that a member of their class will approach them with a personal issue that is causing them some distress. The best advice that the Students’ Union can give you is to listen to the student as best you can and then depending on the issue come talk to either our Education or Welfare Officer who will be able to deal with the matter. Always remember you are NOT a trained counsellor, so try not take cases on, instead seek help and advice from the Students’ Union. 3) Representing the class at Class Representative Council (CRC) All Reps are expected to attend all meetings that are relevant to them (i.e. CRC). You are expected to abide by the standing orders of the Union council and any other Union committees you are involved in. Class Rep Council is the governing body for Students’ Union. 4) Representing the class at Course Board Meetings A significant role of a Class Rep is to attend any Course Board Meetings that are scheduled between course leaders and Reps. During Course Board Meetings Class Reps represent the views and opinions on behalf of their class and also ensure that the college takes into account the requirements of students in any decisions that are made. 5) Feedback As Class Rep, it’s important that you keep your class informed in what the Union is doing. All Class Reps must ensure that their class is made aware of the issues that arise at Class Rep Council and anything that will affect the class. 6) Providing Services It is up to your own discretion if you wish to choose to provide any extra services to your class. Such extra services include; • Organising class parties or social events for the class. • Arranging hoodies or clothing for the class.

Dealing with Personal Stuff As a Class Rep it’s your job to keep informed on various Services available so that if one of your students has an issue you should be able to direct them to the right people. Many students are merely unsure of both their problem, and how to deal with it. As a Class Rep you could well be the first person they tell. The Student Diary which was distributed on registration day is a handy source of information for you.

Quick Pointers Don’t presume you know how they’re feeling, even if you think you do:  Listen to them  Don’t be judgmental  Don’t give advice  Don’t feel you should know all the answers  Don’t tell any of your friends, this will only hinder matters

Remember! It’s not your brief to deal with individual personal problems. You are not a counsellor and don’t ever feel obliged to deal with people on a personal level. When someone does have a problem, the best thing to do is refer them to one of the Student Counsellors Ann-Marie Quigley or Ann Howard, or the Welfare officer Denise.

Services available to students As we’re now solely dealing with students the one constant we have is that they won’t have enough money, so it’s important that you’re aware of the services available to students that are free. There are two main types of services available to students, services within the college, and external voluntary organizations. You may not be familiar with them all so if in doubt ask an officer in the SU!

College Services College services are available to all registered students of WIT, although sometimes on different levels, depending on the type of registered students. All services pride themselves on being friendly at all times. Services Include: 1. The Students’ Union 2. Counselling Service 3. Chaplaincy Service 4. Careers Service 5. Computer Services

051 302873 051 302617 051 302038 051 845524

Dealing with Class Problems It is hard to predict what problems you and your class will face over the year, but here are a few problems that have occurred in the past for class groups.

Types of Problems       

Classroom facilities Lecturing issues Course workloads IT issues Timetabling issues Health and safety Relevant site issues

These are just some examples, although problems come in all shapes and sizes.

What to do? Once a problem has been identified it is important to establish who can fix it. The first thing to figure out is if it’s a WIT problem or an issue for the Students’ Union. For example, a workload issue may be easily dealt with through the Head of School. It may have been a simple oversight in the allocation of work; whereas an issue with a lecturer should be dealt with through the Students’ Union in order to protect you as a Rep. It is not a good idea for individual students to make complaints about lecturers! There is a process in place for addressing grievances! To find out more about it ask the Education officer. Once you have identified who can help with the problem, set about letting them know that you have a problem. If it’s an issue for the Students’ Union, either raise the issue at a Class Rep Meeting or bring it to the attention of the relevant Sabbatical Officer involved. For class issues contact should almost always be made with a member of staff in the relevant department first and then the Students’ Union if a satisfactory outcome cannot be agreed. For site issues such as libraries, canteens are usually dealt with through the Student Union. Anything concerning the car park and bike sheds etc. is dealt with by the Estates Office located on the Cork Road Campus to the right of the porters desk in the main atrium. If you do not know who to contact just call into the Students’ Union and one of the staff will be able to point you in the right direction.

Records and Archives It is important to keep a record of what action you have taken so that you can follow up on any issues. The best way to keep records is to communicate through email and save a copy of all correspondence to a folder. It is advisable to CC a copy of the correspondence to the relevant Student Union Sabbatical Officer as it will help them to build a file on the matter. This is important because:1. The Students’ Union can start to identify common and recurring issues and try to address them proactively. 2. Even though we cannot always act on one complaint alone it does not mean that the issue is not serious. Allowing us to record a number of complaints will strengthen our position. 3. It allows us to keep track of issues from year to year and from that it can help us to identify the different types of training that our Class Reps need. 4. We can represent our students needs more accurately 5. Records that cover complaints over years carry more weight and strengthen the negotiating position of the Students’ Union. Remember always that you are committing yourself to what you say once it is in writing, so be careful what you say. If you need someone to check over a document to ensure it cannot be misinterpreted just email it to the Student Union so that someone can check it over first before sending it to the relevant Department.

Ask them individually, one to one Ask them as a class Hand out a questionnaire Chat to them in groups in the canteen etc Make yourself available for people to come and talk to you at certain times.

Public Speaking and Negotiation As a Class Rep one of the many functions is to inform your class of all the up and coming events and activities of the Students’ Union and indeed your own course activities. This involves getting up at the beginning or end of the class to address them. This can be intimidating at first but with time it gets easier and one earns the respect of their respective classmates. The following are some hints to help you to effectively communicate by way if a public address to a group of people. Preparation: Always go through what you have to say in advance. Knowledge: Always ensure you have all the information you need. Relevance: Make sure what you have to say is of interest to the group. Posture: Posture is one of the first things you say about yourself in public speaking. Learn to stand up straight, looking trustworthy,confident, and assured. Give your speech in a mirror, paying special attention to your posture. Who you are addressing and where you are will determine your posture within the group. Where and how you present yourself will determine how people perceive you and what you are saying Voice: When speaking to a group it is important to consider the following in order to achieve your goal of getting your message across. 1. Speak at a suitable audible level. 2. Speak clearly. 3. Speak slowly without being to deliberate. 4. Avoid monotone, vary your pitch and tone. 5. Don’t be afraid of pauses. Gestures: The use of gestures and facial expressions can considerably help you in the execution of your public address. Some of the options outlined below can help with your ability to attract the attention and maintain the open line of communication with the group. Eye Contact: Include everyone and maintain eye contact at all times. Smiling: An excellent way to keep a group pacified. Hand movements: To emphasise a point or elaborate but should not become a distraction for the group from the content of what you are saying so don’t overdo it. Frowning: In order to indicate your disapproval with one’s conduct – can be very effective!

Waterford Institute of Technology Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union Structure

What is the WIT Students’ Union role in the Class Rep system? The Students’ Union works with Class Reps to represent students in all areas of college life. Through regular Class Rep Meetings we try to keep reps informed of relevant issues on all courses in the WIT. The Union oversees and intervenes where students are not being represented and is committed to empowering Class Reps to actively lobby, negotiate, represent and defend the rights of their classmates where and when possible. The Union believes that Class Reps play an integral role in representing students, helping students overcome problems and maintaining the quality of courses in the WIT.

Class Representative Meetings (CRM) Class Rep Meetings, (CRM) are held regularly in the college. The purpose of a CRM is for all the class reps of the college to get together and discuss issues that are pertinent to all classes both on an academic and physical front. Academic issues can include everything from library facilities, classroom standards, lecturing standards, class workloads, IT facilities, timetables, changes from diplomas to ordinary degrees, the new modular system, anything at all that affects your learning experience during your time in WIT. Physical issues are generally college maintenance issues such as canteens, bike racks/ sheds, smoking areas, security on campus, lighting, photocopying facilities, etc. Once these issues are raised in the meeting it becomes the responsibility of the School Convener to bring the issues to the relevant Students’ Union Officers so they can be addressed, and in turn bring the information back to the Class Rep Meeting.

School Convenors The School Convenor is an elected Officer of the Students’ Union. She/he is elected by the Class Reps and is answerable to the CRM and assigned work by the CRM. It is the duty of the Convenors to ensure that the CRM run smoothly at all times. This includes everything from the calling the meetings, setting the agendas and maintaining an orderly meeting. It is then the Convenors’ responsibility to bring any issues raised by Class Reps in their schools to the relevant Sabbatical Officers. The Convenors’ will then report back to the CRM about how he/she has addressed the issue and what has been done about it.

Committee and Class Rep Meeting Skills â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A 6 step guide. 1. Get to know the rules Find out the terms of reference for the committee and where it fits into the WITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decisionmaking process. Check how often the committee meets and how to get things put on the agenda. 2. Learn from the past Talk to former Class Reps about their experience on the committee and look at past papers and minutes. Find out what other committee members are like. 3. Be prepared Check meetings and agenda deadlines and confirm dates and times of meetings. Try to meet other Class Reps on the committee before meetings to discuss the agenda items. Prepare notes on any issues you are going to speak about. Ask for the slot at the end of the lectures to ask for student feedback from your student group: photocopy the agenda and display it on your course notice board so that your student group can give you feedback on any issues that they wish to have raised. 4. Participate In order to be effective as a Class Rep you must participate at meetings. Sit where the chair of the meeting can see you and next to any allies you have on the committee. If you are unclear about anything, ask for clarification from the chair; try to avoid being negative and if you agree with something, say so. 5. Be assertive Being assertive requires belief: that you have needs to be met; other people have needs to be met; you have rights; you have something worthwhile to contribute. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also about feeling confident and having confidence in others; taking more control of a situation and being yourself. Tips for being assertive include: Do not read from a prepared text. Avoid interrupting others and so not let others interrupt you. Do not get into discussions with just one person. Keep you non verbal behaviour assertive. Time your contributions carefully. Make your doubts and disagreements known. Decide on which crucial issues you wish to make a stand. 6. Report back It is vital that you feedback to your student group the results of any meetings you attend on their behalf (CRM). In particular, ensure that if you win something publicise it. After meetings try to identify issues that may be of interest to your student group or which may need further input from students. Ask tutors if you can have a couple of minutes at the end of a lecture to give feedback to your student group.

Contact Details WIT Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union 2010/2011

Communications

Conor Doyle supresident@witsu.ie (086) 7854420

Eamon Kelly communications@witsu.ie

Vice President for Welfare

Entertainments

Denise McCarthy suwelfare@witsu.ie (086) 7854402

Peter Feeny ents@witsu.ie

Vice President for Education

Cork Road Office

James Lambe sueducation@witsu.ie (086) 0499842

TBC 051 374744

President

College Street Office Jacqui Watson sucoordinator@witsu.ie 051-302275

Class Rep Training 5/10/2010 Brandon House

____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

First Class Rep Council ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

Second Class Rep Council ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

Third Clas Rep Council

Fourth Class Rep Council

Fifth Class Rep Council

College Street Forum ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

Additional Notes ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________